Utility chair



Aug. 12, 1930.

E. L. BENNETT UTILITY CHAIR Filed April 10. 1926 a ma H mm W V6 T m 9 wPatented Aug. 12, 1930 ETED STAS EDGAR L. BENNETT, OF DETROIT,lVIIGHIGAN UTILITY Application filed April 10,

My invention relates to household furniture and consists in an improvedchair structure.

The object of my invention is to provide a chair which ordinarilypresents the usual chair appearance but which will have greater utilitythan the ordinary chair. I secure this object by providing the seat ofmy chair with an extension which will seat two or more per- ;to sons ormay be used as a table for any desired purpose; by providing my chairwit-h other extensions or shelves which may be used for preparing andserving foods or for other purposes; by providing suitable pockets orre- 15 cesses in the chair proper in which the extensions referred tomay be hidden from view; and by providing suitable electric wiring andoutlets for facilitating the use of electrical equipment in connectionwith my chair.

I have originated a number of details which will be described later, andthe provision of these or similar'necessary details are minor objects ofmy invention.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a selected embodiment ofmy invention 7 Figure 1 is an isometric view of my improved chair withits partsshown in projected position for maximum use.

:1) Figures 2, 3, 1, and are vertical sections I taken on lines 22, 33,H, and 5-5 of Figure 1; V

The chair illustrated is a straight chair having front legs 1, rear legs2 extending up- .2; wardly to form the rear posts 3 which are connectedby spaced rails f and 5. Suitable rungs 6 brace the chair legs andpreferably mount a shelf 7 on which books, papers, and other articlesmay be placed. The chair seat 4 8 is of substantial depth and forms areceptacle for a sliding shelf 9 which may be pulled out from one sideof the seat to form an extension thereof. Shelf 9 is equipped with onemore legelemen'ts 10 which are preferably hinged at 11 to the bottom ofthe shelf near the outer edge thereof and may be folded against thebottom of the shelf to be stored with the shelf beneath the seat 8. Thebottom portion 12 of the seat forms with the top portion 8 and the sides13 a box for receiving 1926. Serial No. 101,018.

the shelf 9 and its legs 10. A spring 14: yield ingly holds the legs 10in folded or extended posit-ion. The shelf 9 has a downwardly eX-tending flange 15 which slides on seat member 12 and forms a housing forthe legs 10. Preferably the shelf member 9 has a handle 16 for pullingthe shelf from beneath the seat. The space between posts 3 and'rails 4and 5 is filled with a shallow box 17, the front of which forms a panelfor the seat back and the rear of which is hinged to the remainder ofthebox and is adapted to be moved into the horizontal position indicatedin dot-and-dash lines in Figure l to form a shelf at the rear of thechair. At least one of the rear legs and post conceals a conduit 18 foran electric wire terminating at its lower end in a standard receptacleelement 19. The upper portion ofthis post mounts a lamp bracket 20through which the conduit extends and terminates in a lamp socket 21.Bracket 20 is rotatable on the post 8 so that the socket on the end ofthe bracket may be directed in any desired position. As shown it isdirected so as to shed a light downwardly and forwardly. By turning thebracket to the rear it would be in a better position to have attachedthe cord of a toaster or cooking grill which may be set upon the shelf17 or the bench 9. Preferably the wiring includes one or more otheroutlets such as at 27 to which electrical equipment may be connected, inwhich case the lamp and other equipment may be used simultaneously.

At least one of the front legs is provided with an elongated recessadapted to receive a standard 22, the upper end of which is inclined asbest shown in Figure 3 and is flattenedso asto be received into a pocket23 formed on the undersurface of a shelf 24. The standard 22 and shelf2% may be swung horizontally to the most convenient angle and may alsobeadjusted in height by inserting a pin 25 on the lower portion ofstandard 22 into difierentnotches 26 provided in the sides of the recessin the chair leg.

' Standard 22 and shelf 24 are of such size as they may be easily placedin the shallow box comprising the chair back panel and thus placed outof sight. r

7 My chair is particularly adapted for use in IOU 7,, WW V V i I .1 I. II n I. L A I. v- RAM- an.

members anu spaced substantially from each studios, small apartments,and other places directl upon either of said shelf elements as Wherelight housekeeping is carried on, aldesire though its use is not limitedto such living In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my conditions.signature this fifth day of April, 1926. 5 Obviously the various detailsby which the EDGAR L. BENNETT. m

parts are connected and assembled with each other may be variedindefinitely. and I contemplate the exclusive use of such modificationsof my invention as are included in the w scope of my claims.

I clalmz 1. In a chair, a seat member, a back member, a leg and postmember, a plurality of shelf elements mounted on said seat and back oil:

other, and a lamp bracket mounted on said leg and post member andadapted to be moved to direct the light from its lamp over any one ofsaid shelf elements. 12 2. In a chair, a seat member, a back memher, aleg and post member, a plurality of shelf elements mounted on said seatand back members and spaced substantially from each other and adapted toextend forward a ly, laterally and reaiwardly of said chair {)0respectively, and a lamp bracket mounted on said leg and post member andmovable to shed the light from its lamp over either of said shelfelements. g

3. In a chair, a front leg, a rear leg and I 1 p back post, a standardprojecting upwardly from said front leg, a shelf mounted on saidstandard, a shelf at the rear of said back post, a lamp bracket mountedon said post and rotatable thereon to direct light over a selected oneof said shelves, and an electric conduit leading through said post tosaid bracket.

4. In a chair, spaced rear posts, a back between sald posts, a memberforming a horizontal shelf thereon, and a lamp bracket mounted on one ofsaid posts and rotatable about the same to direct the light from itslamp rearwardly over said shelf forming 4;, member or forwardly anddownwardly in front of said back.

5. In a chair, a back, a shelf forming member on the rear of said back,and a lamp brackct mounted on said back with a horizontal armas!rhayingialamp. s ke i miter nd said arm being rotatable about itsinner end so as to direct the light from its lamp rearwardly over saidshelf forming member or forwardly and downwardly in front of said back.

6. In a chair, a seat member, a rear leg and back post member, a frontleg member, shelf elements mounted on said rear leg and post member andon said front leg member respectively and spaced substantially from eachon 0th r, and a lamp bracket extending upward- 12 ly from said rear legand post member and then downwardly at an angle of forty-five degrees tothe vertical and being rotatable about its axis on said rear leg andpost mem- 65 her so as to shed the light from its lamp Y C-Il

